Tag: words

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WEEK 11: Circumambient to Comeback (so pls do!)

circumambient: adj. surrounding; encompassing (circumambient gloom)

circumlocution: n. a roundabout way of speaking; the use of too many words

clammy: adj. covered with a cold, sticky moisture; old and damp

clottish: adj. foolish, silly

cloudburst: n. a sudden and very heavy rainfall

Cobar shower: n. a dust storm

cobble: v. 3. to mend; patch 4. to put together roughly or clumsily (they cobbled thier marriage back together)

cobbler: n. 1. one who mends shoes  2. a clumsy workman 3. a pie, and in Aust/NZ:  n. a wrinkled sheep that is difficult to shear

cock-a-hoop: adj. in a state of unrestrained joy or exultation

combative: adj. 1. capable of catching fire; inflammable  2. easily excited (his combative stare)

combustible: adj. 1. capable of catching fire; inflammable  2. easily excited (he had a combustible nature)

comeback: n. 4. a sheep breed to be suitable for wool or mutton

Okay – it’s been a few weeks since I felt my words warranted a sentence. This week was crying out for one. Enjoy!

Would my circumlocution be obvious if I was to tell you there was cock-a-hoop following the cloudburst that had put an end to the circumambient clamminess and washed away all signs of the Cobar shower that had dirtied the cobbler, making them look clottish.

Now please come back next week!

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Week 4: Ardent – Balance

I’ve loved this week’s words, even using a few in my Little Gems short story entries (due next – yikes!)

What this week has taught me however, is I’m ardent about putting a little balance in my life – starting tomorrow!!

But first…my favourites.

argus-eyed: adj. keen-eyed, vigilant

armature: n. protective covering of an animal or plant, or any part serving for defence or offence.

arresting: adj. catching the attention, striking

arriviste: n. social climber, ambitious person

askance: adv. with suspicion, mistrust, disapproval

avarice: n. insatiable greed for riches

aventurine: n. an opaque, brown glass containing fine, gold-coloured particles

avowel: n. frank acknowledgement or admission. 2. Open declaration

babushka: n. 1. A woman’s headscarf; often triangular with ends tied under chin or at back of neck (or a Russian grandmother!)

balance: various. what every good novel needs!

Now for my weekly challenge; using as many words as possible (not recommended if you are planning to write a good novel. Remember – balance and moderation!)

“She yanked the knot on her babushka and looked askance at his avowal to have his way with her. He was nothing more than an argus-eyed arriviste with an arresting smile. She’d need her armature to avoid his avarice.”  🙂

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My 2012 Leap Year Project – A Year of Words

 I may be totally insane.

 My leap year project is all about words. In fact, I’m reading the entire dictionary. My old, old faithful friend, The Macquarie Encyclopedic Dictionary (which I used just now  to spell encyclopedic) has 1,122 pages. This year, being a leap year, we have 366 days. So…according to my trusty calculator, that’s 3.06 pages a day. Easy peasy!

I just finished reading my first 3 pages (interestingly it was from ‘A’ to ‘absolute zero’!) and already feel inspired to leap into a new year of writing (not that I need a lot of motivation to do what I love).

The idea of my leap year project is to find new words, words I like, and words I’ve never got quite right (like ‘tenderhooks’ is actually ‘tenterhooks’, but who knew!). Then jot them down for sharing on my blog.

Here’s a couple from this morning’s pages:

abdicate: Okay, so we all know what abdicate means, but how can it be used as something fresh and different in my writing? The first thing that comes to mind is this…

He stood as if abdicating a throne -slowly, stiffly, pokerfaced.

Here’s one more…

abraded: means scraped away or worn down (often by friction): 

He was worn down by the friction of his life.

Oooh I like that one, so I’m off to get stuck into my other 2012 project – book three in my small towns, big hearts collection (Season of Temperance) and maybe I’ll even use one or both of these.

And that is my LEAP YEAR OF WORDS project. 

Anyone care to join me, knowing we might end up totally insane by the end?

Next post, next Sunday.

Happy New Year!